Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Kisvarda Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Kisvarda

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,142 in Kisvarda, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,704 in Kisvarda, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,265 in Kisvarda, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 24% cheaper than Kisvarda, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Kisvarda are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Kisvarda 15% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$8.37 Ft 2,533

-76.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$43.53 Ft 13.2K

-56.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$8.49 Ft 2,568

-8.72%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$1.98 Ft 600

-3.03%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.79 ฿25.79

$1.18 Ft 357

-33.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$0.90 Ft 273

-60.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$1.90 Ft 576

16.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$2.34 Ft 707

56.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$1.06 Ft 319

55.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$1.59 Ft 480

2.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$1.91 Ft 577

-37.70%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$2.60 Ft 786

-23.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$9.50 Ft 2,875

68.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$5.98 Ft 1,810

-49.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$12.42 Ft 3,758

-12.56%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$1.73 Ft 522

59.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$1.91 Ft 576

-38.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.78 Ft 537

-7.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$3.33 Ft 1,006

-54.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$1.09 Ft 331

26.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$1.38 Ft 417

-13.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$1.62 Ft 490

-56.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$0.58 Ft 175

-3.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$6.71 Ft 2,031

-31.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

$4.82 Ft 1,458

243.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$1.15 Ft 348

59.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$1.71 Ft 516

87.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

$1.17 Ft 353

-24.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

$24.99 Ft 7,560

-25.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$2.51 Ft 760

-45.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$1.20 Ft 364

11.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$13.97 Ft 4,228

-43.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$1.69 Ft 512

-27.22%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$24.3K Ft 7.4M

-11.18%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$34.0K Ft 10.3M

-33.71%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$70.5 ฿2,298

$196 Ft 59.4K

-64.04%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$13.68 ฿445

$26.96 Ft 8,156

-49.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$19.82 Ft 5,997

-11.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

$45.88 Ft 13.9K

-9.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$16.71 Ft 5,056

-58.35%

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$7.16 Ft 2,166

-19.41%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$307 ฿10.0K

$333 Ft 100.7K

-7.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$3,438 Ft 1.0M

324.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$55.4 Ft 16.8K

0.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$27.13 Ft 8,207

-3.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$63.0 Ft 19.1K

36.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$68.0 Ft 20.6K

6.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

$450 Ft 136.2K

-4.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

$344 Ft 104.1K

-30.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

$638 Ft 193.1K

28.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

$543 Ft 164.4K

-6.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

$3,030 Ft 916.8K

-34.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

$2,412 Ft 729.8K

-38.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.5

-33.33%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Last update for Kisvarda: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Chiang Mai versus $450 in Kisvarda. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $44.00 in Kisvarda. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $222 in Kisvarda – so Kisvarda wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Chiang Mai vs Kisvarda: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kisvarda costs about 31% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,714 in Kisvarda. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chiang Mai, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $307 per month in Chiang Mai and $333 in Kisvarda. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 8% cheaper in Kisvarda – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $869, than in Kisvarda at $1,142. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kisvarda it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $869 versus $1,142 in Kisvarda. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Kisvarda makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.